Futureheads to Kick Off 34-Date World Tour

The Futureheads, aka 2004's 15th next big thing, pretty much conquered the indie world in 2004, wearing in crowds on a world tour with Franz Ferdinand, wearing in Chucks with their punch-spiking sweat-spilling firecracker of a debut, and wearing the big-boy pants on their first headlining U.S. tour. So the band could probably rest on their collective laurels a bit in 2005 and catch up on everything they missed in 2004 (apparently that Arcade Fire album is pretty good, too). Instead, The Futureheads are jumping on their own bandwagon and heading out for another thorough U.S. tour.

In case you missed them the first time 'round, the band puts on a corker of a live show, even covering a Television Personalities song (which means you folks in Chicago may even see Pitchfork's head honcho in a rare out-of-basement appearance!). However, before they hit American shores, they're doing a brief home run through England as a part of the NME Shockwave Tour, with Bloc Party, The Killers, and Kaiser Chiefs. Moooooosic:

01-19 Northumbria, England - Northumbria University
01-20 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow Academy
01-21 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow Academy
01-23 Nottingham, England - Nottingham Rock City
01-24 Birmingham, England - Birmingham Academy
01-25 Liverpool, England - Liverpool University
01-27 Leeds, England - Leeds University
01-28 Manchester, England - Manchester Academy
01-29 Manchester, England - Manchester Academy
01-31 Norwich, England - Norwich UEA
02-01 Bristol, England - Bristol Academy
02-02 Brighton, England - Brighton Dome
02-04 Cambridge, England - Cambridge Corn Exchange
02-05 Southampton, England - Southampton Guildhall
02-06 Cardiff, England - Cardiff University
02-09 London, England - Brixton Academy
02-21 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
02-22 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
02-24 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
02-25 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
02-26 Montreal, Quebec - El Salon
02-27 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
02-28 Detroit, MI - Shelter at St. Andrews
03-01 Chicago, IL - Double Door
03-03 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Cafe
03-06 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe
03-08 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
03-09 San Francisco, CA - Slims
03-11 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
03-12 San Diego, CA - Epicentre
03-13 Phoenix, AZ - The Mason Jar
03-16 Houston, TX - Rhythm Room
03-17 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
03-19 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room

In related news, the band recently told Gigwise.com that they're planning on recording their second album in September. Bassist Jaff said, "We've been working on stuff 'on the road', as they say. It's hard to write on the road, but [frontman] Barry [Hyde] has had a few ideas kicking about for a while so I think it should be easy enough." Jaff also said that the band was aiming at a different sound, but was less than specific in describing it: "I think we should be trying to develop it a bit. It'd be boring to do the same thing again. You've got to try and challenge yourself... Just get on with improving as a musician and a songwriter." Of course, September is still quite a way off-- hurry hurry in the meantime and you may be able to catch them on one of the treks they're planning to take though Europe, Japan, and Australia.